L’ECUME DES JOURS (MOOD INDIGO) (France/Belgium 2013) ***

Directed by Michel Gondry

 moodindigoba

Based on the 1947 book ‘Froth of the Daydream’, Michel Gondry’s (ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND) whimsical romantic fantasy draws its inspiration from the gadgets and the then futuristic look of the past.  That is where the strength of the film as well as its failures lie.

The story is centred on Colin (Romain Duris).  Colin has a very pleasant life: he is rich, he loves the food his cook, Nicolas (Omar Sy) makes.  Colin loves his pianocktail (contraction of piano and cocktail, a word invented by Vian) and his friend Chick (Gad Elmaleh).  One day while having lunch with Chick, Chick tells him that he met a girl named Alise (Aissa Majga) with whom he has a common passion: the writer Jean-Sol Partre (a spoonerism of Jean-Paul Sartre who was Boris Vian's friend).  Colin meets Chloe (Audrey Tautou from AMELIE) at a party Chick invited him to.  They fall in love, marry, but Chloe becomes ill during their honeymoon. As time passes, Chloe's condition deteriorates while the relationship between Chick and Alise turns sour.

The setting is the future as observed in the past ie. the 40’s.  What this means is that automation is shown with conveyor belts of old fashioned typewriters, electronics displayed as solid state and cathode ray tubes and the future is seen as in the old 60’s and 70’s films.  

The best thing about the film is the Duke Ellington music numbers that add a fresh turn to the proceedings.

Nothing is bothered to be explained.  How did Colin come about his independent wealth and then run out of money?  Why the interest in all the odd inventions?  Who is this mouse and where did he come from?

It does t help that the film heads towards an unhappy instead of a happy ending.  The film also turns black and white.  The romances also turn bad.

Charlotte Le Bon who was practical unheard of this year, has the small role of Isis in this film.  She has major roles in two other films this year, YVES SAINT LAURENT, which also the same day as this film and THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNY that opened last week.

The film should be seen for the ingenious props that include everything from the door alarm running around like a roach to a workplace filled with typewriters set up like convey manufacturing. The colourful visuals that include wardrobe and set decoration are out of this world.  Unfortunately, these dwarf the main plot which ultimately turn out too whimsical at the end.

Faults aside, one has to credit the filmmakers for trying extremely hard to make a different kind of movie.  This they succeed but whether it is a satisfactory and entertaining one is up to the audience’s individual taste.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38ugyccL5zU

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